Curriculum Frameworks

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The Career and Technical Education Division is developing business-validated, competency-based curriculum frameworks for all occupational programs funded under the auspices of this division. The competencies included within the curriculum frameworks are identified as state-required, student performance standards, or QCCs, for individual courses of instruction. Thus, these student performance standards represent a major component within the state's occupational accountability system. Performance standards will be developed for all occupational programs so as to convert vocational skills accountability from "course-passing" to competency-based performance assessment.

The development of the curriculum frameworks includes the revision of many courses, the deletion of some courses, and the development of new programs and courses that more closely reflect contemporary workforce requirements. The performance standards included therein represent a synthesis of performance standards gleaned from other states, from national curriculum laboratories and national curriculum projects, and from industry skill standards. The compilation of performance standards is reviewed and validated by panels of experts from both business and industry as well as by representatives from secondary and postsecondary education. Finally, the performance standards included within each curriculum framework are articulated with postsecondary performance standards to help ensure ease in a student's transition to a postsecondary institution within Georgia.

Each curriculum framework includes two components: (1) the core employability skills that are to be integrated throughout the instructional course sequence of a given program; and (2) the technical skill standards that reflect the occupational-cluster performance requirements unique to a given course. It should be noted that the core employability skills are basic requirements for all occupational programs.

The State Board of Education approved the QCCs for the curriculum frameworks shown below. These official QCCs are now included on this website as well as on the Georgia Learning Connections website. Lesson plans for each of the QCCs, together with the identification of a myriad of on-line resource materials are being developed by teachers from across the state and are also accessible at the Georgia Learning Connections website.

As additional curriculum frameworks and performance standards/QCCs are developed and are approved by the State Board of Education, the standards will, likewise, be added to the Division and GLC websites.